Wiring Fastrack swiches for constant voltage - I have hit a wall (again)

page 8 of the owner's manual

1. Are you sure you had power to the track before you started cutting wires ?

2. I'm assuming you installed the switches in the track layout and tested them on track power to make sure they were all working properly with the controllers, before you started disconnecting and cutting the wires ?

3. I'm assuming you disconnected and cut wires because the wires were too short for the controllers to reach the switches or because you wanted to hide the wires below the layout (or both). Cardinal rule (at least in my book) is never disconnect the wires from the switch or especially the controller itself, if possible. Try to cut the wire in the middle and then patch the ends together using some sort of connectors (I like the gel-filled "bean" crimps) or you can buy 4 terminal phone connectors which you can mount to the layout and then connect up the wires.

4. Per #3, if you did disassemble the controllers and disconnect the wires, it is always a PITA to install new wires because of the tight space and configuration of how the wires go.  

5. If the wires were installed incorrectly in the controllers then it's not going to make a difference whether they are track powered or powered from an alternate source - they still won't work. 

6. I would start by making a small test track with a few pieces of FT and put each switch in one-by-one running off track power and check the controller wires to make sure they are hooked up to the correct terminal and making good contact. 

Thanks for the replies. 

First question - The diagram (from escaperocks) shows  I need to run 2 wires - aux. power and aux. ground back to the transformer? 

Is this correct? 

Secondly, Richie... I am going to re-do everything starting with your point 6 - small test track and then I know for sure moving forward that the switches light up and work with track power.

The 'cut in the middle and splice'... that would have been awesome to read before I got into this.  

that I will remember... it was a chore getting those wires back in. 

ty,

Bryan

Fastrackguy posted:

It would appear from the diagram that I would need two wires for aux. power  - and I will use 14Volt for constant voltage?

In order to operate the switch off an auxillary power supply, whether it's from an accessory terminal on a transformer or another power supply source, you need to run one wire from that source's power side (typically the red or + side) to the switch's Aux IN terminal and one wire from that source's ground/common side (typically black or -) to the switch's Aux GND terminal - after having removed the jumper.

I'm not sure why you want to use auxillary power to operate the FT switches. IMHO, they run fine off track power; it's much easier and a lot less work to hook them up; they don't consume a lot of power; and whatever power they do use is only momentary when you operate the switch.

If you go that route, the switches should operate fine off either the 10v or 14v ports. I'd try the 10v first and see if that works ok.

hmm... over thinking... thought it was a good idea?   The original plan was to use only track power and not fixed voltage.

I will have to get the switches working properly first. 

Bryan

That is correct. The A terminal in the instructions corresponds with the RED terminal on the transformer. The U terminal in the instructions correspond with the BLACK terminal on the transformer.

I always unhook the controller wires at the switch. They are not that bad to rehook . I also use 2 pr phone wire to extend the controllers. The colors match and on the last 10 switches  I made a short pigtail with phone connectors so removal of the switch is easier. The Klein stripping and crimping tool was less than $20. One reason for auxiliary power is that all the lanterns don't go dark when changing direction in conventional running. I run mine at 14 volts from a Type V transformer.

Yes - get them working first on a test track.

I have 18 FT switches on my layout (plus 8 LED siding switches) using track power and the same Z-4000 transformer as you with no issues running Legacy and DCS (I did install a 22uh choke in place of the track jumper in each switch in order to run the DCS system).

The CW-80 is not hooked up.

I didn't worry about the ground.  I saw a video on line that said it wasn't required.  I just used one terminal on the ZW for switches (I have 6) and several fixed voltage on/off accessories (currently Oil Derrick, airplane pylon, barrel ramp and log conveyor).  I used a feeder wire of "yellow" around the layout and tapped into it from each switch for the aux in after the jumper was removed.  Biggest issues - solid soldering and/or tap splicing and making sure if you did remove the wiring to get the new controller wires properly placed and secured.  Add some slack to allow you to "rotate" the switch up to make corrections/adjustments.  Switches have to be connected to track to get the ground working.  No problems.

Could you run the aux power for the switches from the same cw80 that is powering your track?

Casper posted:

Could you run the aux power for the switches from the same cw80 that is powering your track?

Yes, you can by using the CW-80 'aux' output.

Just remember that the CW-80's aux voltage is variable and programmable, so you need to set the voltage output to the correct level recommended for the switch by following the procedure to do that with the CW-80.

What size wire should I run for the fixed voltage for the fastrack switches?

Pretty much any wire size will do, they only take around 100ma max while switching, much less just sitting there lighting the LED.  I'd probably consider anything #24 or larger to be more than sufficient.

I have some speaker wire laying around, would that be ok to use? I was also think about using that for accessory lighting. Thoughts on that?

Speaker wire would work fine, probably overkill for Fastrack switch power.

Is it also ok to use that as building lighting?

Sure, same comment applies.  More than sufficient for building lighting.

Thank you Gunrunnerjohn!